Apparatus for slicing meats, cheese, etc.



arch 10, 1936. NEARY APPARATUS FOR SLICING MEATS, CHEESE, ETC

2 Sheets$het 1 Filed Aug. 7, 1935 IN V EN TOR.

'ATTORNEY March 10, 1936. ,E' J N' 2,033,293

APPARATUS FOR SLICING MEATS, CHEESE, ETC

Filed Aug. 7, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F 4* y 2% a I 2/ INVENTOR. [/5 V9 15 BY J Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SLICING MEATS, CHEESE, ETC.

4 Claims.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simplified type of slicing apparatus, a characteristic of which is that the thickness of slice is determined by adjustment of the knife guiding means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel type of sharpening means for the knife so arranged as to follow the knife guiding means in the adjustments of the latter.

These, and other objects of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

5 Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on the line 22, Fig. 6.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 33, Fig. 5.

Figure 4 is a horizontal fragmentary section on the line 44, Fig. 5.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the device showing in full lines the knife in upper positions and in dotted lines in intermediate position.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line l'!, Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 88, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention therein shown comprises a boxlike base I, having an upper horizontal support Ia: for the article to be cut. Side pieces 2, 2a: are

35 provided, and, if desired, these side pieces may be vertical flanges of a sheet metal supporting member applied to member Ix, as indicated in Fig. 8.

40 Secured to horizontal support la: in any suitable manner, is a guide frame comprising the uprights 3 which are connected by an A-shaped connecting member 3a: which may be integral with members 3. The cross bar 4 of connecting 45 member 3a: is provided with a vertical apertured boss to afiord a seat for a guiding rod 5 and the rod. passes through a second boss 6 at the top of member 3x. The rod is held in fixed position by such means.

50 Slidably mounted upon the rod 5 is a sleeve 1 exteriorly formed with a ball-shaped member la: embraced by the extension 81: of an arm 8, the said extension 8r having an aperture shaped to conform with the curvature of the ball. To this 5 end the extension 8a: is in two parts, the upper part being a detachable plate as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Arm 8 is secured to a knife 9 having a handle I8, the knife being guided in its downstroke by the adjacent vertical edges of uprights 3 and arms II. The knife forwardly of uprights 3 is faced by the vertical adjustable arms II. Arms II at their upper ends are provided with guide fingers I2 which abut the side walls of uprights 3, and each arm at its base is provided with an integral horizontal section Ilx, the two horizontal sections being joined by a cross bar I3. Cross bar I3 is formed with a threaded aperture to receive an adjusting screw I 4 which passes through a boss I5 in member I and is provided 15 with an operating thumb wheel I6. The part of this screw that passes through boss I5 is slightly longer in diameter than the threaded part and is allowed free longitudinal movement through boss I5. By rotation of the screw, thumb wheel 20 I6 will be caused tomove forward or from wall law of the base member thus regulating the amount of forward movement allowed arms II. The horizontal sections Ilx of the arms are guided in their movements by being placed in the channelways of guide blocks I8, Figs. 6 and 8, the guide blocks being provided with cover plates Adjacent each arm I I is a knife sharpener element 20 which may be of such material, as, for example, metal, as will automatically maintain the cutting edge of the knife in sharp condition through its movements in cutting and in retraction from cutting position. Each knife sharpener is aflixed to a horizontal arm 20:: guided within the channelway of a guide block 2| which lies adjacent block I8.

I prefer that each arm 20 be engaged by a spring 22 and in order to insure equal tension upon the sharpeners the springs may be connected by a cable 23 which runs over pulleys 24 (Fig. 6). Hooks Hm are also provided in parts I Ia: so that the operator may at will connect the springs thereto and release sharpeners.

The end of each sharpener 20 may be provided with a laterally extending flange 25 for receiving an abutment stud 26 which engages one of the arms II. Studs 26 may be threaded in flanges 25 if desired.

In the operation of the device, the amount of movement allowed arms II will determine the thickness of the slice by the adjustment of the screw. In practice, the blade will be lowered and the block of meat, cheese, or other object to be 66 sliced will be pressed forward with the knife as an abutment so that the knife in turn will be moved forward to the extent permitted by the thumb wheel {6 taking with it arms ll. Handle I is then grasped and the knife moved upwardly above the top surface of the article to be cut, and as the blade clears the top of the article to be cut the arms I I, being pulled back by the tension of the springs, press the blade of the knife against the edges of guides 3 and keep them close to it all through the downward or cutting movements. Hence, in the initial stroke the knife will be back from the front face of the article to be cut a distance regulated by the amount of play allowed arms I I and the thickness of the slice may be of any desired degree. The position of the knife in the act of cutting is shown at 9, Fig. 2. As the knife passes down within the range of the inclined sharpeners 20, its cutting edge will be engaged by the sharpeners if they are hooked up to springs 22. The movement of the knife is in reality a bodily arcuate movement. It will be pulled forwardly by means of handle l0 until a stop 21 engages the adjacent arm II and then will begin a bodily downward arcuate movement, the ball and socket connection with the guiding rod l6 permitting said movement. After each cutting stroke with the knife in lowermost position, the article to be cut is moved forwardly against the knife as an abutment and the knife will be moved again forward taking arms II with it to the extent allowed by the adjustment of the screw. When the knife is swung upwardly above the article to be sliced, the knife will again lie in the position shown in Fig. 2 with its face directly abutting uprights 3.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the form of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention. I have shown the plate carrying guide bars 2, 2x, as dovetailed in grooves formed on the upper surface of support Ir so that the plate may be readily removed for cleaning or sterilization.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a slicing apparatus, a support for an object to be sliced, a knife mounted for reciprocal movement and for movement in directions transversely of said movement, a vertical guide for one side of said knife determining the line of cut, a second vertical guide for the opposite side of the knife, knife sharpening elements, means for limiting movement of said second vertical guide toward and from the first guide to determine the thickness of slice, and connections between the second vertical guide and the knife sharpening means whereby the latter is actuated by said adjusting means.

2. In a slicing apparatus, a support for an object to be sliced, spaced knife guides rising vertically from said support at the forward end thereof, a vertically extending guide rod carried by said guides, an arm having an aperture receiving said guide rod, a knife connected to the arm, a vertical knife guide device disposed forwardly of the first-named guides, a screw mechanism for limiting the movement of said guide device toward and from the first-named guides,

knife sharpening members disposed adjacent the first-named guides, spring tension means for said sharpening members and outer guides, and connections between the sharpening members and the said knife guide device whereby movements of the latter are transmitted to the sharpening members and vice versa.

3. In a slicing apparatus, a box-like support for an object to be sliced, spaced knife guides rising vertically from said support at the forward end thereof and a vertically extending guide rod carried by said guides, an arm having connections with said guide rod and adapted for universa-l movement relative thereto, a knife connected to the arm, vertically extending knife guiding arms disposed forwardly of the firstnamed guides, said arms having extensions within the box-like casing, a connecting member for the extensions, and a screw device engaging said connecting member for limiting the movement of the said guide arms, and sharpening members connected to horizontally extending carriers disposed within the casing, spring tension means for said sharpening members and forward guides, and means whereby the sharpening members may receive adjustment as to position.

4. A device constructed in accordance with claim 3, in which the carriers for the sharpening members are slidably mounted within the casing, spring tension means for each carrier, and an equalizing connection between the springs.

, EDWARD J. NEARY, 

